Basically, VLCD is a diet where you completely cut off all foods, and only "eat" liquid meals containing all the daily nutritions.

I went on a VLCD-course, 1 month, because I wanted to lose my body fat (I'm actually quite thin, I just hate how I have flab under my arms and around my waist). And during this time, my skin became clear, radiant and beautiful. Before that, my skin was a complete mess. Incredibly oily T-zone (had to blot like once every hour) and dry cheeks with acne all over the cheeks. During this diet, I had no more problems with oily skin. I finally got "normal" skin.

Lost tons of fat too. But obviously I couldn't continue with this diet so I quit. And the acne came back within 2 months.

I believe this diet balanced my hormones and as result, I didn't get any more pimples, in fact, I had no whiteheads, no visible pores, no blackheads, nothing. Just scars left from old acne. Basically this diet is a 1-month detox.

But once I started eating my regular foods again, which fyi is healthy food with tons of veggies, and occasionally sugary food, my acne and bad skin came back.

Just my 50 cents.

Oh and, tetralysal helped me too. But only during the time I was on it. Acne came back after finished course.

B5 with multivit didn't help me, it made my hair thin.

Meeting my derm in half a year, after summer.. hopefully I'll get accutane prescribed. I feel like it's my last hope -.-

I'm glad to hear you found a diet that worked for you, but I'm a little confused as to why you decided not to not maintain it? Why spend more money going back to your dermatologist than exploring the benefits for nutrition filled food?

Low calories is fine, but vegetables have the lowest amount of calories, which I assume you were eating a lot of. Di you also omit dairy, gluten, and other sugars such as pasta's and bakeries?

Going back to your previous diet and eating the sugar again should be a obvious sign that you should never go back there again.

I'm glad that you did the diet approach, so good job . Knowing that it worked for you and telling us about it is extremely helpful.

Just want to say that you don't need to starve yourself to lose fat even if you're skinny. Exercise and strength training builds muscle and gives your body that "toned" look.

And since you have proven to yourself that diet affects your acne, why not try to find a healthy and sustainable eating plan that will help you stay clear? There are so many options out there - just read this forum to see what kind of diets people are following to stay clear.

I'm glad to hear you found a diet that worked for you, but I'm a little confused as to why you decided not to not maintain it? Why spend more money going back to your dermatologist than exploring the benefits for nutrition filled food?

Low calories is fine, but vegetables have the lowest amount of calories, which I assume you were eating a lot of. Di you also omit dairy, gluten, and other sugars such as pasta's and bakeries?

Going back to your previous diet and eating the sugar again should be a obvious sign that you should never go back there again.

I'm glad that you did the diet approach, so good job . Knowing that it worked for you and telling us about it is extremely helpful.

Because I couldn't keep up with it . VLCD is a diet (I went the hardcore way) where you are not allowed to eat food, not even drink milk. What you do is basically drink a powder that you mix with water, 5 times a day every 2 hours. I did that, for one whole month. I didn't eat anything. I just drank this liquid food for 1 complete month. So imagine not being able to even eat the tiniest bit of bread, not even fruit, no sugar at all? of course I can't keep up with it. Today I still have no idea what it is that is causing my acne. I don't know if it's a special food - if it's sugar - if it's dairy. I just know that a month of pure a watermix with vitamins and protein healed my acne.

Hi there,

Just want to say that you don't need to starve yourself to lose fat even if you're skinny. Exercise and strength training builds muscle and gives your body that "toned" look.

And since you have proven to yourself that diet affects your acne, why not try to find a healthy and sustainable eating plan that will help you stay clear? There are so many options out there - just read this forum to see what kind of diets people are following to stay clear.

I know. I do exercise everyday. I basically run the mile 3 times a week, and I build my muscles. That 1 month of VLCD was just so that I would go into a "ketosis" and burn some fat, before I started my hardcore training. It was like my initial startpoint. I mean, if I can handle 1 month of not eating food, then I can handle years of exercising, right? Ketosis btw is a condition your body gets into when the glycogen stores in the liver have run out. The body basically switches from using carbs for energy into using fat for energy. In just that one month I saw major changes in the flabby areas of my body, lol.

Btw I started that diet (a year ago) only because I wanted to lose fat before starting a daily exercise program. Not because I wanted to heal my acne (I had given up on that seeing as nothing except antibiotica helped me), but because I wanted to lose fat.

Because I couldn't keep up with it . VLCD is a diet (I went the hardcore way) where you are not allowed to eat food, not even drink milk. What you do is basically drink a powder that you mix with water, 5 times a day every 2 hours. I did that, for one whole month. I didn't eat anything. I just drank this liquid food for 1 complete month. So imagine not being able to even eat the tiniest bit of bread, not even fruit, no sugar at all? of course I can't keep up with it. Today I still have no idea what it is that is causing my acne. I don't know if it's a special food - if it's sugar - if it's dairy. I just know that a month of pure a watermix with vitamins and protein healed my acne.

That "diet" sounds bloody awful. Whoever came up with something like that is either a detoxing specialists or moron. Water fasting and detoxing is important, but you don't need powdered vitamins while doing it. I'm amazed you kept up with it for so long. The strictest thing to do is actually just water. The strictest diet, from what I know, are vegan diets. Not vegetarian, vegan.

'Not even milk' is actually a good thing. Milk is awful for you and completely unnecessary for human survival. More than enough calcium comes from broccoli and other helpful foods, and there's more vitamin D in natural sunlight than any amount of milk capable of drinking a day.

No, I understand how hard it is for people to give up dairy, sugar, and gluten, so it's ok. I wouldn't want you to stress over something that you can't keep up with. I personally wish you would give food another go though, only this time eating vegetables and fruit rather than going back on a normal diet. Sometimes a combination of several triggers can create acne, not just by themselves. There's also soy, eggs, high fructose corn syrup, msg's, etc... all of which can cause acne. It's not fair, but neither are companies and corporations lying to us about natural human science and consumption.

Because I couldn't keep up with it . VLCD is a diet (I went the hardcore way) where you are not allowed to eat food, not even drink milk. What you do is basically drink a powder that you mix with water, 5 times a day every 2 hours. I did that, for one whole month. I didn't eat anything. I just drank this liquid food for 1 complete month. So imagine not being able to even eat the tiniest bit of bread, not even fruit, no sugar at all? of course I can't keep up with it. Today I still have no idea what it is that is causing my acne. I don't know if it's a special food - if it's sugar - if it's dairy. I just know that a month of pure a watermix with vitamins and protein healed my acne.

That "diet" sounds bloody awful. Whoever came up with something like that is either a detoxing specialists or moron. Water fasting and detoxing is important, but you don't need powdered vitamins while doing it. I'm amazed you kept up with it for so long. The strictest thing to do is actually just water. The strictest diet, from what I know, are vegan diets. Not vegetarian, vegan.

'Not even milk' is actually a good thing. Milk is awful for you and completely unnecessary for human survival. More than enough calcium comes from broccoli and other helpful foods, and there's more vitamin D in natural sunlight than any amount of milk capable of drinking a day.

No, I understand how hard it is for people to give up dairy, sugar, and gluten, so it's ok. I wouldn't want you to stress over something that you can't keep up with. I personally wish you would give food another go though, only this time eating vegetables and fruit rather than going back on a normal diet. Sometimes a combination of several triggers can create acne, not just by themselves. There's also soy, eggs, high fructose corn syrup, msg's, etc... all of which can cause acne. It's not fair, but neither are companies and corporations lying to us about natural human science and consumption.

Milk is not awful for you, it's truly good for you and is essential to the human body. Perhaps in the U.S milk isn't the healthiest as American milk is known to be tainted with added hormones and chemicals but in Canada (Where I live) Milk is 100% pure and the only thing that's added in is vitamin A.

American Food standards are quite poor - that's the problem, not the food it's self. It's your country and it's abysmal standards for how food is prepared and made.

Milk is not awful for you, it's truly good for you and is essential to the human body. Perhaps in the U.S milk isn't the healthiest as American milk is known to be tainted with added hormones and chemicals but in Canada (Where I live) Milk is 100% pure and the only thing that's added in is vitamin A.

American Food standards are quite poor - that's the problem, not the food it's self. It's your country and it's abysmal standards for how food is prepared and made.

They key word here is "essential" my northern friend. What you eat and what you absorb are two very different things. Cows milk is no more necessary for humans that it is to an infant calf after it has matured. It is not an essential ingredient for human consumption. It is possible to live without ever drinking a dairy cows milk. And I'm not even pro-animal.

Calcium, Vitamin, D, and other nutrients, however, are essential for human growth. It is simply not necessary to ever need them from a cow. It has become cheap, easy labor to derive these ingredients from cows over the past several years, and this continent of ours uses both corporations and unhygienic farms to get you and I to pay up a few bucks. The forest preserve I live in stretches well into your area. You are no more of an exception to these conditions to than I am.

Although There is no 100 percent proof in clinical trials that drinking cows milk for certain causes health issues, many statistics lean towards the chance that it may, or has, become unnaturally dangerous on average to normal consumption rates:

Some of these exact links are found here in the diet forums, but most are on educational websites.

The cons of drinking dairy milk outweigh the pros. I remember visiting canada on several occasions have have come across many, many families who adored their dairy intake. Canadians are almost always advised to increase their dairy intake for numerous reasons, such as lowering their sodium levels and even encouraging their athletes:

Like I said earlier, depending on what country your from will most certainly seal your nutritional fate. Fresh greens and other produce may not be available for your calcium intake. In that case, some countries are advised to consume dairy milk, and eventually do end up getting an increase in their calcium levels and even energy levels. It is unsure, however, what the farming conditions for these cows were (either from UK or other safe and nearby government approved farms), and it was for milk consumption only, NOT other dairy products:

There's also goats milk, llama milk, "clean" cows milk, etc... which are a lot less harmful than todays manufactured milk yet still obtains similar harmful ingredients. it all depends on whether or not you are intolerant.

IGF-1 is suppose to make acne terrible, right? Yet many people have had no breakouts from goat milk like myself, so is it the IGF-1 or something else?

(Answer from Alternativista) IGF1 is a major factor in hyperkeratinization which is the reason our pores clog. It is made in our bodies stimulated by insulin and is in dairy. But the consumption of dairy does not automatically lead to a pimple unless you are intolerant. But it has a negative impact on many of the processes involved in the formation of acne such as containing IGF-1 and precursors to DHT.

Milk consumption can be tolerated and was even necessary for human survival and human history. In fact, many countries still rely on it for economic wealth and value. I'm sure you get the picture at this point.

-----

Now, getting back to acne, there is more than enough data that suggest that dairy consumption causes inflammation, bone fractures, and premature adolescence, many of these patients with mild to severe acne:

Milk is also one of the top allergic reactions which may or may not cause people to develop acne. The most allergic reactions come from 8 foods: wheat/gluten, dairy, soy, peanuts, eggs, shellfish, true nuts, etc...

There is more than enough sufficient data across the web, and even more so at your local libraries, that suggest a possible acne and dairy related issue. The very least you can do is cut it our for a few months and see how you feel. I have no problem with people who wish to use dairy as an ingredient in their dish for a special celebration, but normal consumption has yet to be proven that it is beneficial. It also has yet to be proven that it is harmful. One thing is for certain, however: It is simply not essential.

Milk is not awful for you, it's truly good for you and is essential to the human body. Perhaps in the U.S milk isn't the healthiest as American milk is known to be tainted with added hormones and chemicals but in Canada (Where I live) Milk is 100% pure and the only thing that's added in is vitamin A.

American Food standards are quite poor - that's the problem, not the food it's self. It's your country and it's abysmal standards for how food is prepared and made.

They key word here is "essential" my northern friend. What you eat and what you absorb are two very different things. Cows milk is no more necessary for humans that it is to an infant calf after it has matured. It is not an essential ingredient for human consumption. It is possible to live without ever drinking a dairy cows milk. And I'm not even pro-animal.

Calcium, Vitamin, D, and other nutrients, however, are essential for human growth. It is simply not necessary to ever need them from a cow. It has become cheap, easy labor to derive these ingredients from cows over the past several years, and this continent of ours uses both corporations and unhygienic farms to get you and I to pay up a few bucks. The forest preserve I live in stretches well into your area. You are no more of an exception to these conditions to than I am.

Although There is no 100 percent proof in clinical trials that drinking cows milk for certain causes health issues, many statistics lean towards the chance that it may, or has, become unnaturally dangerous on average to normal consumption rates:

Some of these exact links are found here in the diet forums, but most are on educational websites.

The cons of drinking dairy milk outweigh the pros. I remember visiting canada on several occasions have have come across many, many families who adored their dairy intake. Canadians are almost always advised to increase their dairy intake for numerous reasons, such as lowering their sodium levels and even encouraging their athletes:

Like I said earlier, depending on what country your from will most certainly seal your nutritional fate. Fresh greens and other produce may not be available for your calcium intake. In that case, some countries are advised to consume dairy milk, and eventually do end up getting an increase in their calcium levels and even energy levels. It is unsure, however, what the farming conditions for these cows were (either from UK or other safe and nearby government approved farms), and it was for milk consumption only, NOT other dairy products:

There's also goats milk, llama milk, "clean" cows milk, etc... which are a lot less harmful than todays manufactured milk yet still obtains similar harmful ingredients. it all depends on whether or not you are intolerant.

IGF-1 is suppose to make acne terrible, right? Yet many people have had no breakouts from goat milk like myself, so is it the IGF-1 or something else?

(Answer from Alternativista) IGF1 is a major factor in hyperkeratinization which is the reason our pores clog. It is made in our bodies stimulated by insulin and is in dairy. But the consumption of dairy does not automatically lead to a pimple unless you are intolerant. But it has a negative impact on many of the processes involved in the formation of acne such as containing IGF-1 and precursors to DHT.

Milk consumption can be tolerated and was even necessary for human survival and human history. In fact, many countries still rely on it for economic wealth and value. I'm sure you get the picture at this point.

-----

Now, getting back to acne, there is more than enough data that suggest that dairy consumption causes inflammation, bone fractures, and premature adolescence, many of these patients with mild to severe acne:

Milk is also one of the top allergic reactions which may or may not cause people to develop acne. The most allergic reactions come from 8 foods: wheat/gluten, dairy, soy, peanuts, eggs, shellfish, true nuts, etc...

There is more than enough sufficient data across the web, and even more so at your local libraries, that suggest a possible acne and dairy related issue. The very least you can do is cut it our for a few months and see how you feel. I have no problem with people who wish to use dairy as an ingredient in their dish for a special celebration, but normal consumption has yet to be proven that it is beneficial. It also has yet to be proven that it is harmful. One thing is for certain, however: It is simply not essential.

I was dairy free for many, many years and ate a plant based diet with rigorous standards of what I put in my mouth and for me personally it made no influence on my skin. I have recently gone back to dairy and have actually noticed a reduction in acne generally. It was not a trigger for me and it was unnecessary for me to have gone without for so many years, I truly regret doing this.

I believe the association between acne and dairy is an urban legend except with the few odd exceptions. Acne is so much more than what you eat as I've learned after the last fifteen years. It can't always be managed by diet and even if you experience remission with "clean eating" it can always come back regardless of how perfect your eating habits and modified lifestyle is.

I believe acne is truly the result of over senstive/over active sebaceous glands all and all.

I was dairy free for many, many years and ate a plant based diet with rigorous standards of what I put in my mouth and for me personally it made no influence on my skin. I have recently gone back to dairy and have actually noticed a reduction in acne generally. It was not a trigger for me and it was unnecessary for me to have gone without for so many years, I truly regret doing this.

I believe the association between acne and dairy is an urban legend except with the few odd exceptions. Acne is so much more than what you eat as I've learned after the last fifteen years. It can't always be managed by diet and even if you experience remission with "clean eating" it can always come back regardless of how perfect your eating habits and modified lifestyle is.

I believe acne is truly the result of over senstive/over active sebaceous glands all and all.

Everything you said is true and extremely relatable to all my other friends here on acne.org. Just keep on learning and do what you can to find what is best for you. For me, nothing prescribed by my dermatologist worked if I were to get off them, and I too personally wished I never took those medications in the first place so I wouldn't have to deal with the mutation of painful cysts. Always list every kind of source, data influence, story, and experience you have had with your acne and share it with everyone else. The fact that you already tried non-dairy proves you are very determined and I wish you the best of luck as I do for everyone else.

Milk is not awful for you, it's truly good for you and is essential to the human body. Perhaps in the U.S milk isn't the healthiest as American milk is known to be tainted with added hormones and chemicals but in Canada (Where I live) Milk is 100% pure and the only thing that's added in is vitamin A.

American Food standards are quite poor - that's the problem, not the food it's self. It's your country and it's abysmal standards for how food is prepared and made.

They key word here is "essential" my northern friend. What you eat and what you absorb are two very different things. Cows milk is no more necessary for humans that it is to an infant calf after it has matured. It is not an essential ingredient for human consumption. It is possible to live without ever drinking a dairy cows milk. And I'm not even pro-animal.

Calcium, Vitamin, D, and other nutrients, however, are essential for human growth. It is simply not necessary to ever need them from a cow. It has become cheap, easy labor to derive these ingredients from cows over the past several years, and this continent of ours uses both corporations and unhygienic farms to get you and I to pay up a few bucks. The forest preserve I live in stretches well into your area. You are no more of an exception to these conditions to than I am.

Although There is no 100 percent proof in clinical trials that drinking cows milk for certain causes health issues, many statistics lean towards the chance that it may, or has, become unnaturally dangerous on average to normal consumption rates:

Some of these exact links are found here in the diet forums, but most are on educational websites.

The cons of drinking dairy milk outweigh the pros. I remember visiting canada on several occasions have have come across many, many families who adored their dairy intake. Canadians are almost always advised to increase their dairy intake for numerous reasons, such as lowering their sodium levels and even encouraging their athletes:

Like I said earlier, depending on what country your from will most certainly seal your nutritional fate. Fresh greens and other produce may not be available for your calcium intake. In that case, some countries are advised to consume dairy milk, and eventually do end up getting an increase in their calcium levels and even energy levels. It is unsure, however, what the farming conditions for these cows were (either from UK or other safe and nearby government approved farms), and it was for milk consumption only, NOT other dairy products:

There's also goats milk, llama milk, "clean" cows milk, etc... which are a lot less harmful than todays manufactured milk yet still obtains similar harmful ingredients. it all depends on whether or not you are intolerant.

IGF-1 is suppose to make acne terrible, right? Yet many people have had no breakouts from goat milk like myself, so is it the IGF-1 or something else?

(Answer from Alternativista) IGF1 is a major factor in hyperkeratinization which is the reason our pores clog. It is made in our bodies stimulated by insulin and is in dairy. But the consumption of dairy does not automatically lead to a pimple unless you are intolerant. But it has a negative impact on many of the processes involved in the formation of acne such as containing IGF-1 and precursors to DHT.

Milk consumption can be tolerated and was even necessary for human survival and human history. In fact, many countries still rely on it for economic wealth and value. I'm sure you get the picture at this point.

-----

Now, getting back to acne, there is more than enough data that suggest that dairy consumption causes inflammation, bone fractures, and premature adolescence, many of these patients with mild to severe acne:

Milk is also one of the top allergic reactions which may or may not cause people to develop acne. The most allergic reactions come from 8 foods: wheat/gluten, dairy, soy, peanuts, eggs, shellfish, true nuts, etc...

There is more than enough sufficient data across the web, and even more so at your local libraries, that suggest a possible acne and dairy related issue. The very least you can do is cut it our for a few months and see how you feel. I have no problem with people who wish to use dairy as an ingredient in their dish for a special celebration, but normal consumption has yet to be proven that it is beneficial. It also has yet to be proven that it is harmful. One thing is for certain, however: It is simply not essential.

I was dairy free for many, many years and ate a plant based diet with rigorous standards of what I put in my mouth and for me personally it made no influence on my skin. I have recently gone back to dairy and have actually noticed a reduction in acne generally. It was not a trigger for me and it was unnecessary for me to have gone without for so many years, I truly regret doing this.

I believe the association between acne and dairy is an urban legend except with the few odd exceptions. Acne is so much more than what you eat as I've learned after the last fifteen years. It can't always be managed by diet and even if you experience remission with "clean eating" it can always come back regardless of how perfect your eating habits and modified lifestyle is.

I believe acne is truly the result of over senstive/over active sebaceous glands all and all.

Hey It's just that different people maybe effected by different foods. For me, cutting out dairy showed really visible results. My skin just calmed down, oil production lessened and cysts stopped forming. But that's just me. For you, if diary isnt it, maybe wheat/gluten is. So just keep eliminating each of the top known allergens for acne for about 2 weeks each and notice the impact on you. I hope you find what is causing yours.

I was dairy free for many, many years and ate a plant based diet with rigorous standards of what I put in my mouth and for me personally it made no influence on my skin. I have recently gone back to dairy and have actually noticed a reduction in acne generally. It was not a trigger for me and it was unnecessary for me to have gone without for so many years, I truly regret doing this.

I believe the association between acne and dairy is an urban legend except with the few odd exceptions. Acne is so much more than what you eat as I've learned after the last fifteen years. It can't always be managed by diet and even if you experience remission with "clean eating" it can always come back regardless of how perfect your eating habits and modified lifestyle is.

I believe acne is truly the result of over senstive/over active sebaceous glands all and all.

Everything you said is true and extremely relatable to all my other friends here on acne.org. Just keep on learning and do what you can to find what is best for you. For me, nothing prescribed by my dermatologist worked if I were to get off them, and I too personally wished I never took those medications in the first place so I wouldn't have to deal with the mutation of painful cysts. Always list every kind of source, data influence, story, and experience you have had with your acne and share it with everyone else. The fact that you already tried non-dairy proves you are very determined and I wish you the best of luck as I do for everyone else.

Actually much of what he/she said isn't true. Such as the over production of sebum being the cause. It exacerbates acne the clogging of pores, but doesn't cause it. Many people with dry skin have acne. Many people with oily skin are clear.

Also, the dairy connection is not a myth. It's just that everything doesn't affect every one to the same extent. I too notice no difference when eliminating dairy, but I still limit it. Because it contains and stimulates the production of known triggers of hyper keratinization which is the actual root cause of acne. The things you do to yourself are cumulative. You probably would experience any negative effect from the igf1 and DHT in dairy if everything else you did limited their production. And if everything else you do stimulates their production, you might not notice any improvement when you avoid dairy.

But I certainly agree with you about regretting all those years of dermatologists and drugs. If only I understood about diet earlier.

Edited by alternativista, 07 April 2013 - 10:32 AM.

Status: Clear after 30 years. Wow, I guess it's been 6 years, now.

[ Story: Severe Acne since I was 10. 10+ years of Dermatologists, Antibiotics, topicals and ACCUTANE did nothing. Discovered oranges triggered the worst of my cystic acne = about 70% improvement. Tried some nutrient supplements like B-complex with zinc and C, saw palmetto and a BHA like the aspirin mask = more improvement, a lot less oily. Then, Diet changes = Clear.

Regimen: Anti-inflammatory, nutrient dense, blood sugar stabilizing diet and supplements (for hormones, inflammation, aging, health). No soap or other cleanser except for hand washing! Water only or Oil cleanse. Aloe Vera mixed with niacinimide and a high linoleic acid oil for moisturizer and reduce pigmentation.

Milk is not awful for you, it's truly good for you and is essential to the human body. Perhaps in the U.S milk isn't the healthiest as American milk is known to be tainted with added hormones and chemicals but in Canada (Where I live) Milk is 100% pure and the only thing that's added in is vitamin A.

American Food standards are quite poor - that's the problem, not the food it's self. It's your country and it's abysmal standards for how food is prepared and made.

They key word here is "essential" my northern friend. What you eat and what you absorb are two very different things. Cows milk is no more necessary for humans that it is to an infant calf after it has matured. It is not an essential ingredient for human consumption. It is possible to live without ever drinking a dairy cows milk. And I'm not even pro-animal.

Calcium, Vitamin, D, and other nutrients, however, are essential for human growth. It is simply not necessary to ever need them from a cow. It has become cheap, easy labor to derive these ingredients from cows over the past several years, and this continent of ours uses both corporations and unhygienic farms to get you and I to pay up a few bucks. The forest preserve I live in stretches well into your area. You are no more of an exception to these conditions to than I am.

Although There is no 100 percent proof in clinical trials that drinking cows milk for certain causes health issues, many statistics lean towards the chance that it may, or has, become unnaturally dangerous on average to normal consumption rates:

Some of these exact links are found here in the diet forums, but most are on educational websites.

The cons of drinking dairy milk outweigh the pros. I remember visiting canada on several occasions have have come across many, many families who adored their dairy intake. Canadians are almost always advised to increase their dairy intake for numerous reasons, such as lowering their sodium levels and even encouraging their athletes:

Like I said earlier, depending on what country your from will most certainly seal your nutritional fate. Fresh greens and other produce may not be available for your calcium intake. In that case, some countries are advised to consume dairy milk, and eventually do end up getting an increase in their calcium levels and even energy levels. It is unsure, however, what the farming conditions for these cows were (either from UK or other safe and nearby government approved farms), and it was for milk consumption only, NOT other dairy products:

There's also goats milk, llama milk, "clean" cows milk, etc... which are a lot less harmful than todays manufactured milk yet still obtains similar harmful ingredients. it all depends on whether or not you are intolerant.

IGF-1 is suppose to make acne terrible, right? Yet many people have had no breakouts from goat milk like myself, so is it the IGF-1 or something else?

(Answer from Alternativista) IGF1 is a major factor in hyperkeratinization which is the reason our pores clog. It is made in our bodies stimulated by insulin and is in dairy. But the consumption of dairy does not automatically lead to a pimple unless you are intolerant. But it has a negative impact on many of the processes involved in the formation of acne such as containing IGF-1 and precursors to DHT.

Milk consumption can be tolerated and was even necessary for human survival and human history. In fact, many countries still rely on it for economic wealth and value. I'm sure you get the picture at this point.

-----

Now, getting back to acne, there is more than enough data that suggest that dairy consumption causes inflammation, bone fractures, and premature adolescence, many of these patients with mild to severe acne:

Milk is also one of the top allergic reactions which may or may not cause people to develop acne. The most allergic reactions come from 8 foods: wheat/gluten, dairy, soy, peanuts, eggs, shellfish, true nuts, etc...

There is more than enough sufficient data across the web, and even more so at your local libraries, that suggest a possible acne and dairy related issue. The very least you can do is cut it our for a few months and see how you feel. I have no problem with people who wish to use dairy as an ingredient in their dish for a special celebration, but normal consumption has yet to be proven that it is beneficial. It also has yet to be proven that it is harmful. One thing is for certain, however: It is simply not essential.

I was dairy free for many, many years and ate a plant based diet with rigorous standards of what I put in my mouth and for me personally it made no influence on my skin. I have recently gone back to dairy and have actually noticed a reduction in acne generally. It was not a trigger for me and it was unnecessary for me to have gone without for so many years, I truly regret doing this.

I believe the association between acne and dairy is an urban legend except with the few odd exceptions. Acne is so much more than what you eat as I've learned after the last fifteen years. It can't always be managed by diet and even if you experience remission with "clean eating" it can always come back regardless of how perfect your eating habits and modified lifestyle is.

I believe acne is truly the result of over senstive/over active sebaceous glands all and all.

Hey It's just that different people maybe effected by different foods. For me, cutting out dairy showed really visible results. My skin just calmed down, oil production lessened and cysts stopped forming. But that's just me. For you, if diary isnt it, maybe wheat/gluten is. So just keep eliminating each of the top known allergens for acne for about 2 weeks each and notice the impact on you. I hope you find what is causing yours.

I was gluten free for nearly a decade. I have had acne since 1997! Trust me, I have done absolutely everything in regards to eliminating foods that may be possible triggers as well as eating pretty much the perfect diet.

"What's causing mine" ! Ha! what's causing mine is a faulty gene I inherited from my father who had acne conglobata. I'm guessing you're one of these naive people that believe every case of acne has a specific cause behind it? this is not the case. There are certain strains of acne that have no cause or cure and just exist as a result of genetics.

"What's causing mine" ! Ha! what's causing mine is a faulty gene I inherited from my father who had acne conglobata. I'm guessing you're one of these naive people that believe every case of acne has a specific cause behind it? this is not the case. There are certain strains of acne that have no cause or cure and just exist as a result of genetics.

No. All of our acne is genetic. That doesn't mean the things you do to yourself do not have a major influence on your development of acne. Just like with most other disease.

Edited by alternativista, 07 April 2013 - 08:58 AM.

Status: Clear after 30 years. Wow, I guess it's been 6 years, now.

[ Story: Severe Acne since I was 10. 10+ years of Dermatologists, Antibiotics, topicals and ACCUTANE did nothing. Discovered oranges triggered the worst of my cystic acne = about 70% improvement. Tried some nutrient supplements like B-complex with zinc and C, saw palmetto and a BHA like the aspirin mask = more improvement, a lot less oily. Then, Diet changes = Clear.

Regimen: Anti-inflammatory, nutrient dense, blood sugar stabilizing diet and supplements (for hormones, inflammation, aging, health). No soap or other cleanser except for hand washing! Water only or Oil cleanse. Aloe Vera mixed with niacinimide and a high linoleic acid oil for moisturizer and reduce pigmentation.

Because I couldn't keep up with it . VLCD is a diet (I went the hardcore way) where you are not allowed to eat food, not even drink milk. What you do is basically drink a powder that you mix with water, 5 times a day every 2 hours. I did that, for one whole month. I didn't eat anything. I just drank this liquid food for 1 complete month. So imagine not being able to even eat the tiniest bit of bread, not even fruit, no sugar at all? of course I can't keep up with it. Today I still have no idea what it is that is causing my acne. I don't know if it's a special food - if it's sugar - if it's dairy. I just know that a month of pure a watermix with vitamins and protein healed my acne.

That "diet" sounds bloody awful. Whoever came up with something like that is either a detoxing specialists or moron. Water fasting and detoxing is important, but you don't need powdered vitamins while doing it. I'm amazed you kept up with it for so long. The strictest thing to do is actually just water. The strictest diet, from what I know, are vegan diets. Not vegetarian, vegan.

'Not even milk' is actually a good thing. Milk is awful for you and completely unnecessary for human survival. More than enough calcium comes from broccoli and other helpful foods, and there's more vitamin D in natural sunlight than any amount of milk capable of drinking a day.

No, I understand how hard it is for people to give up dairy, sugar, and gluten, so it's ok. I wouldn't want you to stress over something that you can't keep up with. I personally wish you would give food another go though, only this time eating vegetables and fruit rather than going back on a normal diet. Sometimes a combination of several triggers can create acne, not just by themselves. There's also soy, eggs, high fructose corn syrup, msg's, etc... all of which can cause acne. It's not fair, but neither are companies and corporations lying to us about natural human science and consumption.

Milk is not awful for you, it's truly good for you and is essential to the human body. Perhaps in the U.S milk isn't the healthiest as American milk is known to be tainted with added hormones and chemicals but in Canada (Where I live) Milk is 100% pure and the only thing that's added in is vitamin A.

American Food standards are quite poor - that's the problem, not the food it's self. It's your country and it's abysmal standards for how food is prepared and made.

Milk is NOT essential to the human body. I'm sorry, I agree with you on a lot of this stuff. But milk is in no way necessary in the diet. that is just a silly statement.

Regarding acne as being NOT diet related , check this link out , acne is damn near 100% diet related , processed food in western country's is a huge contributor , sure genetics are a huge factor it seems people with acne can't process fat very well , but people in non western country's have this genetic problem too yet they don't have acne , hmmm....... diet , a huge contributor.

Milk is not awful for you, it's truly good for you and is essential to the human body. Perhaps in the U.S milk isn't the healthiest as American milk is known to be tainted with added hormones and chemicals but in Canada (Where I live) Milk is 100% pure and the only thing that's added in is vitamin A.

American Food standards are quite poor - that's the problem, not the food it's self. It's your country and it's abysmal standards for how food is prepared and made.

They key word here is "essential" my northern friend. What you eat and what you absorb are two very different things. Cows milk is no more necessary for humans that it is to an infant calf after it has matured. It is not an essential ingredient for human consumption. It is possible to live without ever drinking a dairy cows milk. And I'm not even pro-animal.

Calcium, Vitamin, D, and other nutrients, however, are essential for human growth. It is simply not necessary to ever need them from a cow. It has become cheap, easy labor to derive these ingredients from cows over the past several years, and this continent of ours uses both corporations and unhygienic farms to get you and I to pay up a few bucks. The forest preserve I live in stretches well into your area. You are no more of an exception to these conditions to than I am.

Although There is no 100 percent proof in clinical trials that drinking cows milk for certain causes health issues, many statistics lean towards the chance that it may, or has, become unnaturally dangerous on average to normal consumption rates:

Some of these exact links are found here in the diet forums, but most are on educational websites.

The cons of drinking dairy milk outweigh the pros. I remember visiting canada on several occasions have have come across many, many families who adored their dairy intake. Canadians are almost always advised to increase their dairy intake for numerous reasons, such as lowering their sodium levels and even encouraging their athletes:

Like I said earlier, depending on what country your from will most certainly seal your nutritional fate. Fresh greens and other produce may not be available for your calcium intake. In that case, some countries are advised to consume dairy milk, and eventually do end up getting an increase in their calcium levels and even energy levels. It is unsure, however, what the farming conditions for these cows were (either from UK or other safe and nearby government approved farms), and it was for milk consumption only, NOT other dairy products:

There's also goats milk, llama milk, "clean" cows milk, etc... which are a lot less harmful than todays manufactured milk yet still obtains similar harmful ingredients. it all depends on whether or not you are intolerant.

QUOTE (Thehoper @ Aug 1 2011, 06:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
IGF-1 is suppose to make acne terrible, right? Yet many people have had no breakouts from goat milk like myself, so is it the IGF-1 or something else?

(Answer from Alternativista) IGF1 is a major factor in hyperkeratinization which is the reason our pores clog. It is made in our bodies stimulated by insulin and is in dairy. But the consumption of dairy does not automatically lead to a pimple unless you are intolerant. But it has a negative impact on many of the processes involved in the formation of acne such as containing IGF-1 and precursors to DHT.

Milk consumption can be tolerated and was even necessary for human survival and human history. In fact, many countries still rely on it for economic wealth and value. I'm sure you get the picture at this point.

-----

Now, getting back to acne, there is more than enough data that suggest that dairy consumption causes inflammation, bone fractures, and premature adolescence, many of these patients with mild to severe acne:

Milk is also one of the top allergic reactions which may or may not cause people to develop acne. The most allergic reactions come from 8 foods: wheat/gluten, dairy, soy, peanuts, eggs, shellfish, true nuts, etc...

There is more than enough sufficient data across the web, and even more so at your local libraries, that suggest a possible acne and dairy related issue. The very least you can do is cut it our for a few months and see how you feel. I have no problem with people who wish to use dairy as an ingredient in their dish for a special celebration, but normal consumption has yet to be proven that it is beneficial. It also has yet to be proven that it is harmful. One thing is for certain, however: It is simply not essential.

I was dairy free for many, many years and ate a plant based diet with rigorous standards of what I put in my mouth and for me personally it made no influence on my skin. I have recently gone back to dairy and have actually noticed a reduction in acne generally. It was not a trigger for me and it was unnecessary for me to have gone without for so many years, I truly regret doing this.

I believe the association between acne and dairy is an urban legend except with the few odd exceptions. Acne is so much more than what you eat as I've learned after the last fifteen years. It can't always be managed by diet and even if you experience remission with "clean eating" it can always come back regardless of how perfect your eating habits and modified lifestyle is.

I believe acne is truly the result of over senstive/over active sebaceous glands all and all.

Hey It's just that different people maybe effected by different foods. For me, cutting out dairy showed really visible results. My skin just calmed down, oil production lessened and cysts stopped forming. But that's just me. For you, if diary isnt it, maybe wheat/gluten is. So just keep eliminating each of the top known allergens for acne for about 2 weeks each and notice the impact on you. I hope you find what is causing yours.

I was gluten free for nearly a decade. I have had acne since 1997! Trust me, I have done absolutely everything in regards to eliminating foods that may be possible triggers as well as eating pretty much the perfect diet.

"What's causing mine" ! Ha! what's causing mine is a faulty gene I inherited from my father who had acne conglobata. I'm guessing you're one of these naive people that believe every case of acne has a specific cause behind it? this is not the case. There are certain strains of acne that have no cause or cure and just exist as a result of genetics.

No. All of our acne is genetic. That doesn't mean the things you do to yourself do not have a major influence on your development of acne. Just like with most other disease.

Not necessarily. Cystic acne is usually genetic (a lot of the time) but mild garden variety kind of acne honestly isn't.

I believe under any circumstance I would have developed acne regardless. Meaning there was nothing I could have done to "turn off" the genetic predisposition by living a certain way.

Not necessarily. Cystic acne is usually genetic (a lot of the time) but mild garden variety kind of acne honestly isn't.

I believe under any circumstance I would have developed acne regardless. Meaning there was nothing I could have done to "turn off" the genetic predisposition by living a certain way.

Wrong again. Garden variety acne honestly is genetically influenced. There are many genetic traits that have been identified that lead to the hyperkeratinization and impaired desquamation involved in normal mild moderate and even severe acne formation.

Personally, I do not believe that cysts and nodules are really acne, but a response to some intolerance. And those might also be genetic. I believe my father and two of my siblings probably have the same intolerance to citrus that I found to be the cause of my severe cystic acne. Of course, that wasn't the only acne I had. I also had 'garden variety' oily skin, blackheads and normal inflamed acne. Which went away after I learned the truth about diet and changed my habits.

Edited by alternativista, 08 April 2013 - 07:02 AM.

Status: Clear after 30 years. Wow, I guess it's been 6 years, now.

[ Story: Severe Acne since I was 10. 10+ years of Dermatologists, Antibiotics, topicals and ACCUTANE did nothing. Discovered oranges triggered the worst of my cystic acne = about 70% improvement. Tried some nutrient supplements like B-complex with zinc and C, saw palmetto and a BHA like the aspirin mask = more improvement, a lot less oily. Then, Diet changes = Clear.

Regimen: Anti-inflammatory, nutrient dense, blood sugar stabilizing diet and supplements (for hormones, inflammation, aging, health). No soap or other cleanser except for hand washing! Water only or Oil cleanse. Aloe Vera mixed with niacinimide and a high linoleic acid oil for moisturizer and reduce pigmentation.

Hello everyone, I just registered myself on this website and I don't want to create a new topic, because this one seems to address my problem too. I was reading about acne versus diet (from general perspective plus Ayurvedic, since i am a yoga teacher), and i am ok! I am vegetarian for many years, I learnt how to balance my protein intake, I am not eating dairy. Yes, i may not getting enough fruits but i eat vitamins, I eat greens every day. I avoid sugar, (although i used to be very much addicted to it and i was sure that all my acne problems stemed from my chocolate obsession, but now i stopped eating it, acne is still here). I don't drink alcohol (at all), i don't smoke, I do yoga 4-5 times a week. I don't eat processed food, I eat very healthy, I cook at home. So...I guess my acne is not that much diet related, i wish it was like this because in this case i would just change my diet, and everybody is happy. So what`s is wrong with me?

Hello everyone, I just registered myself on this website and I don't want to create a new topic, because this one seems to address my problem too. I was reading about acne versus diet (from general perspective plus Ayurvedic, since i am a yoga teacher), and i am ok! I am vegetarian for many years, I learnt how to balance my protein intake, I am not eating dairy. Yes, i may not getting enough fruits but i eat vitamins, I eat greens every day. I avoid sugar, (although i used to be very much addicted to it and i was sure that all my acne problems stemed from my chocolate obsession, but now i stopped eating it, acne is still here). I don't drink alcohol (at all), i don't smoke, I do yoga 4-5 times a week. I don't eat processed food, I eat very healthy, I cook at home. So...I guess my acne is not that much diet related, i wish it was like this because in this case i would just change my diet, and everybody is happy. So what`s is wrong with me?

Should we go to nutritionist& dermatologists to resolve that problem?

Have a great day everyone:)

Hello! There's a few more things you can try before considering a dermatologist: More vegetables than fruit, and make sure what your eating is low on the GL index (Glycemic Load). try to eat 50/50 raw and cooked since nutrition and antioxidants change within the vegetables when you cook them. Also, yoga is great but make sure you increase your heart rate to it's max at least twice a week, in whatever way you want (you like running?). Then sleep well. And DON'T stress over acne.

Also, you need Omega-3's. I understand your a vegetarian, but perhaps fish twice a week would be beneficial. If not, go to your local grocery store (Butera?, Jewel Osco?, etc.?) and go down the oatmeal, bread flour isle. There should be small bags of special flours made gluten free, wheat free, etc... you'll find ground flaxseeds there. Have 1 to 2 tablespoons every morning with old fashioned oatmeal. It's not that expensive and you can have some sliced fruit with it as well. I find that half a measuring cup fills me up, but more people are satisfied with 1 measuring cup, which is too much for me when I add the hot water.

A nutritionist is always a fantastic idea, and they're cheap the first few visits (considering other health alternatives like harmful pills of course), but please be careful when it comes to today's nutritionalists. Dr. Atkins was considered a nutritionalist by millions of amateurs, and with you being a vegetarian I'm sure you understand how incredibly awful his advice was to the human body.

Last but not least, cut out the eggs from your diet since they're actually not very healthy either. I'm sure you an still bake with them though, just go for the range free, organic stuff. If you're eating soy, peanuts, and/or gluten, those might also be allergies contributing to your acne. Also.... unfortunately, caffeine aggravates acne even though coffee overall helps you live sightly longer. Choose decaf coffee until your acne is gone, then regular every once and a while. Tea is hundreds of times better than coffee though and should be drank everyday whenever possible. Great quality bags are sold off the internet such as amazon as well as your local vitamin shop.

If all else fails, and IF you can afford it, check with your local Doctor and G.I., then run a few blood tests/food allergy tests (Not a G.I.). Your acne may be slightly hormonal related, but there are diets and exercises that can help with that. The inflammation behind your acne is what you wan to worry about first. Diet DOES effect your acne, both in small and large ways. Eat more anti-inflammatory foods, and foods with more antioxidants. Do what you can first before the final decision to visit your dermatologists again.

How long have you had acne? What have you tried before? Has it gotten better, worse, or consistent? Have you already seen dermatologists? Does your family suffer from acne as well?...